REF - SOLOS for Concept Drum Sets

REF - SOLOS for Concept Drum Sets - From the Sublime to the Ridiculous - is a unique recording. If you have followed my series on drum shells and manufacturer ultra-hype about proprietary shells, you have seen and heard evidence to the contrary. Through the course of the 24 videos in the series, started in 2018, people have commented about the lack of use of actual recording mics, etc., in the presentation of the various drums and ideas discussed. I decided to answer that with a full recording of drum sets that are anything but, "traditional," "normal" drum sets.

Eight acoustic drum sets, ten solos, with a little something extra thrown in for fun. Each was enhanced with typical software processing. There are no electronic patches placed on any drums.

Owing to the great divide of logistics and parameters of setting up, taking down, and repeat over the course of two weeks, getting really mentally and physically used to any of the sets used was rather impossible. This is not a performance recording involving ideas for soloing. I just sat down and did my thing with each kit. Expect to hear plenty of stick clicks and hoop nicks, and dropped sticks. It's a 'warts and all' recording focusing on sound: recorded and processed drum sound.

The issue is not personal preference or subjective taste in drum sound. None of my preferences might be yours and you may not like the tonal range or sound of any of the kits but, that's not the issue.

The issue is whether you can take any drum set into a recording environment and get good sounding musical statements from them, with the expertise of those who engineer, mix and master recordings, without having to spend the big bucks for top of the line drums, marketed for such purposes. They may look beautifully superb but, do they actually sound better?

I have found there's an actual class warfare in the drum community, much of it fostered by manufacturer's themselves. I hope this recording contributes an encouraging view about whatever drums a player owns and plays with passion.

See what you think. Can you figure out just what you're hearing? I doubt you will. You may pick out some things, especially if you are familiar with my channel. Beyond that, expect to drop your jaw a time or two when you find out what's actually happening.

I have only named the solos, which contain slight hints as to what's being played. There are also some hints in the heavily modified collages that appear six times over the course of the recording. Nope, I'm not trying to give anything away.

If you want to know exactly what you are listening to, all the information will be at my website, here:

https://drumsinhisheart.weebly.com/co...

I'll wait a few days for the video to be out there before I post the new page on my site and give viewers a chance to hear and think about what they're listening to.

Remember, this is not a performance recording for soloing ideas. It's a recording about sound; the sounds of drums, and how modern recording environments can help to make anything sound like professional instruments.

The SOLOS -

1. Drum My Corps 1
2. Are You on My Side
3. The Flash
4. Drum My Corps 2
5. 10-6 Good Buddy
6. Bottleneck
7. The Mongrel
8. Time for Dinner - Appetizers
9. Don't Trash My Drums
10. MBM
11. Time for Dinner - Main Course

Engineered Raw Recordings by Ray Frigon
Mixed and Mastered by John Mayes

And just for fun, I videotaped the solos, just in case people completely disbelieve what they are hearing. I'll have that video ready to go if challenges become boisterous enough. :-)